LUNCH AND DEALS AT COPELAND
Lunch is always a treat at Copeland, Westin Governor Morris Hotel, 2 Whippany Road, Morristown. Every time I visit, someone orders the Copeland hamburger and I opt for a fish dish such as the lobster brioche sandwich, the seared tuna sashimi served open faced on focaccia, or the simply grilled salmon. This time I gleefully treated myself to the Copeland burger, made with Wagyu beef and served on a brioche bun with cheese, bacon, and tomato. Addictive homemade French fries accompany this sandwich, which is so big that I brought half of it home. The burger can also be ordered with seared foie gras, red shallots, and apple confit.
Current deals at Copeland are:
An express three-course prix-fixe lunch with entrée choices (dessert is presented as a to-go) for $23.
The Frugal Friday Wine Deal, featuring 50 percent off wine from a specially selected menu with the purchase of an entrée in the dining room or at the Martini Bar and Lounge.
A $35 three-course value dinner menu on Sundays at the Martini Bar or the dining room, with entrée options such as oven-roasted Griggstown young chicken with braised cabbage, baked apple, and caraway jus; and mustard-glazed salmon medallions with golden beets and horseradish foam.
Call 973-451-2619 for reservations.
Executive chef Thomas Ciszak from Copeland, Morristown.
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ANOTHER NJ CHEF IS ON TV
Chef Michael Carrino of Restaurant Passionné, 77 Walnut Street, Montclair (973-233-1006), will be featured on the Food Network’s new cooking competition, Chopped, on April 7 at 10 PM. Chopped challenges four up-and-coming chefs to turn a selection of everyday ingredients into an extraordinary three-course meal. After each course, a contestant gets “chopped,” until the last man or woman left standing claims victory. Each week, a rotating panel of judges decide whose dishes were the most memorable and award the winner $10,000.
Chef/owner Michael Carrino of Restaurant Passionné, Montclair.
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ETC. STEAKHOUSE
Etc. Steakhouse, a kosher restaurant, has opened at 1409 Palisade Avenue, Teaneck. Although filet, skirt, hanger, flat-iron and rib-eye steaks are featured, other items on executive chef Seth Warshaw’s menu are: frisée with poached egg, cured black olives, roasted vegetables, and pear vinaigrette; sweetbreads with haricots verts, wax beans, sweet potatoes, and sage sauce; duck breast with mashed butternut squash, roasted kumquats, French green beans, wax beans, and juniper berry sauce; and Arctic char with avocado salad, black rice, and blood orange sauce. The restaurant is BYO, but the wine must be kosher and mevushal. For reservations call 201-357-5677.
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GOOD SCOUT AWARD LUNCHEON
The 2009 Hospitality & Food Good Scout Award luncheon will be held on April 17 at the Palace at Somerset Park, 333 Davidson Avenue, Somerset, to honor Diane Carr, general manager of the Bernards Inn; Christopher Cree, Master of Wine, 56 Degree Wine; George Faison, partner and chief operating officer of DeBragga and Spitler; and Grant Halliday, director of operations of Harvest Restaurant Group. This event will raise funds for the Boy Scouts of America’s At Risk program, which sends underprivileged youth to summer camps. 11 AM; $125. For more information and tickets contact Joseph Gonnella at 973-765-9322 ext 242 or email [email protected].
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ITALIANISSIMO, CALDWELL
Italianissimo, which has recently moved to 435 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell (the old Trattoria Fresco space), has pleasant service and very moderate prices, which keeps the restaurant packed with regulars. Munch on warm bread presented with tomato sauce for dipping while you decide which Italian favorites to order. A new addition to the menu is small plates, and you can easily make a meal out of them. Opt for cheeses, grilled vegetables (we loved the broccoli rabe and the roasted peppers and capers), grilled octopus, or a Tuscan platter with meats, which can be ordered for one to four people. Diners will have a hard time picking from the twelve pasta choices and the daily specials. We chose the bucatini amatriciana, made with pancetta, onions, tomato, and pecorino. Chicken scarpariello, with peppers, onion, sausage, mushrooms, and potato, came on the bone, my preference for any chicken dish. Two diners can easily have dinner for $50 or less at this BYO establishment. For reservations call 973-618-0103.
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BAR BITES MENU AT DORIS & ED’S
Small plates with big tastes are being featured on the new Bar Bites menu at Doris & Ed’s, 348 Shore Drive, Highlands. Choices include three seafood sliders (tuna, crab, and lobster); salad niçoise with fresh olive-oil-poached tuna; rock shrimp tempura; seafood cocktails; a raw bar; and a cheese platter. For more information and dinner reservations call 732-872-1565.
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HAPPY FIFTH ANNIVERSARY TO CHAKRA
Chakra, West 144 Route 4 East, Paramus, is celebrating its fifth anniversary with the following promotions in April: $5 Russian imperial martinis and cosmopolitans (a fifth anniversary cocktail concoction), $5 wines by the glass, $5 draft beer, all desserts for $5, and a $55 five-course tasting menu throughout the month. A special five-course fifth anniversary wine dinner will be held on April 13. For more information and reservations call 201-556-1530.
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CHIPOTLE FUNDRAISER
On April 2, Chipotle Mexican Grill, 749 Bloomfield Avenue, West Caldwell (973-226-6421), will throw a pre-opening fundraiser for James Caldwell High School. From 4 to 8 PM, a $5 donation will be good for any menu item (full size) along with chips, salsa, or guacamole and a fountain drink. The money will go to the high school to help fund student activities. The restaurant’s grand opening is on April 3.
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DINING DEALS
Times are tough, but restaurants are fighting back with value-packed meals. Let’s support them. Some dining incentives are:
Acacia, 2637 Main Street, Lawrenceville (609-895-9885), will feature a three-course prix-fixe menu. Call for more information; BYO.
Blue Bottle Cafe, 101 East Broad Street, Hopewell (609-333-1710), offers a two-course ($29) and a three-course ($35) tasting menu Tuesdays through Thursdays. Or have fun with the Tastes of the Moon small-plates menu and create a whole meal. BYO.
The Brothers Moon, 7 West Broad Street, Hopewell (609-333-1330), will have small plates. Call for more information; BYO.
C.J. Reycraft Jr., chef at Chez Catherine, 431 North Avenue West, Westfield, offers a two-course Sunday brunch for $29, which includes a complimentary mimosa or Bloody Mary. For reservations call 908-654-4011.
Hamilton’s Grill Room, 8 Coryell Street, Lambertville (609-397-4343), offers a $30 prix-fixe dinner on Tuesdays, and the first and third Wednesday of each month is Wednesdays for Women, a networking evening exclusively for women with a $25 prix-fixe menu. BYO.
Nisi, 90 Grand Avenue, Englewood, which is steps away from the Bergen Performing Arts Center, offers a three-course pretheater dinner for $30 Mondays through Thursdays, for guests seated for dinner between 5 and 6:15 PM. For reservations call 201-567-4700.
One 53, 153 Washington Street, Rocky Hill (609-921-0153), has a three-course prix-fixe menu Mondays through Wednesdays for $25, as well as 25 percent off wines.
Rat’s, 16 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton, features a three-course prix-fixe menu Tuesdays through Fridays for $38 (609-584-7800).
For those who love brunch, there’s an early-bird deal not to be missed from 10 to 11:30 AM on Saturdays and Sundays at the Tortilla Press, 703 Haddon Avenue, Collingswood. A few menu items that will be offered for $5 (yes, $5) are: Mexican-style French toast with three slices of bacon; two eggs your way, with home fries and toast and a choice of ham, bacon, chorizo coins, or fruit cup; breakfast enchiladas; and spinach and bacon quiche. For reservations call 856-869-3345.
Check with each restaurant for the length of these promotions, as some will be extended if the response is favorable.
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The following restaurants will be open for Easter (Sunday, April 12) and/or will offer special menus for Passover (sundown on Wednesday, April 8, until sundown on Thursday, April 16):
Avenue, 23 Ocean Avenue, Long Branch, will serve a three-course prix-fixe Easter brunch. 10 AM to 3:30 PM; $29.95; children under twelve $14.95. An à la carte menu will be available from 4:30 to 9:30 PM. For reservations call 732-759-2900.
The Bernards Inn, 27 Mine Brook Road, Bernardsville, will offer a three-course prix-fixe Easter dinner in the dining room from 1 to 5 PM; adults $75; children ages two to twelve $35. A Grand Easter Buffet will be offered in the ballroom from 10:30 AM to 4 PM; adults $59; children ages six to twelve $30; children ages two to five $15; no charge for children under age two. For reservations call 908-766-0002.
On April 5, Branches, 123 Monmouth Road, West Long Branch, will have breakfast with the Easter Bunny. Seatings for the buffet are between 9 and 10:30 AM; $23; children ages three to twelve $13; children ages two and under free. Price, plus tax and 20 percent service charge, includes balloon art, candy table, and a photo with the Easter Bunny. For reservations call 732-542-5050.
The Brothers Moon, 7 West Broad Street, Hopewell, will serve Easter brunch with an à la carte menu from 10 AM to 2 PM. Call 609-333-1330 for reservations.
Casa Dante, 737 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, will serve a special four-course Easter menu from 1 to 9 PM; $59. Menus are available at www.casadante.com. For reservations call 201-795-2750.
Celebrate either Easter or Passover at Church Street Kitchen, 12 Church Street, Montclair. On Easter Sunday the restaurant will serve Chef Joe’s Easter specialties, including roasted leg of lamb in rosemary sauce and baked Virginia ham with all the trimmings. For Passover, starting April 8, traditional favorites such as matzoh brei, braised brisket with 36 garlic cloves, and Bubbie’s matzoh ball soup will be offered throughout the week. Matzoh will also be offered at the table. For reservations call 973-233-0216.
Copeland, Westin Governor Morris, 2 Whippany Road, Morristown, will celebrate Easter with a three-course menu ($45; children $22) and an à la carte menu from noon to 9 PM. A children’s menu will also be available. And a special breakfast buffet will be available from 6:30 to 11 AM; $24; children $12. Call 973-451-2619 for reservations.
David Burke Fromagerie, 26 Ridge Road, Rumson, will offer a three-course brunch for $35. At dinner, an à la carte menu with Easter specials will be served. For reservations call 732-842-8088.
Doris & Ed’s, 348 Shore Drive, Highlands, where “The fish isn’t just fresh, it’s wild,” will be open on Easter from 1 to 7:30 PM. For reservations call 732-872-1565.
Fascino, 331 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, will be open on Easter Sunday from 2 to 7 PM with an à la carte menu as well as some specials. For reservations call 973-233-0350; BYO.
The Frog and the Peach, 29 Dennis Street, New Brunswick, will be open on Easter Sunday from 11:30 AM to 5:30 PM with selections from the spring à la carte and bistro menus. For reservations call 732-846-3216.
The Grain House Restaurant at the Olde Mill Inn, 225 North Maple Avenue, Basking Ridge, will serve Easter dinner from noon to 6:30 PM; $38; children ages four to ten $18. For reservations call 908-221-1150.
On April 12 and April 19 (Greek Easter), from noon to 10 PM, Greek Taverna, 292 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, will offer a traditional Greek three-course menu ($25) in addition to the regular à la carte menu. For reservations call 973-746-2280.
Joe Palombo’s Mirabella Cafe, Barclay Farms Shopping Center, 210 East Route 70, Cherry Hill, will serve a family-style four-course Italian Easter feast for $40 per person as well as the regular à la carte menu. For reservations call 856-354-1888.
Liberty House Restaurant, 76 Audrey Zapp Drive, Jersey City, will have its fourth annual Easter egg hunt, for children ages four to ten, on April 11 from 11 AM to 3 PM. The Easter Bunny and Mother Goose will be on hand to tell stories and pose for pictures. The event is free, but reservations are necessary; call 201-395-0300.
Restaurant Lorena, 168 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood, is accepting reservations for Easter Sunday (973-763-4460); BYO.
In honor of Passover, Rosa Mexicano, Shops at Riverside, 390 Hackensack Avenue, Hackensack, will offer holiday menu additions from April 8 through 15 and a Passover cooking demonstration on April 11. Menu additions include: caldo de pollo con bolitas (matzoh ball soup), higadito de pollo para tacos (chopped liver), lengua de res a la Veracruzana (beef tongue with Veracruz sauce), tacos de lengua (beef tongue tacos), poblano relleno con tenera barbacoa (barbecued veal-stuffed chile), robalo relleno (baked sea bass), and pastel de datil (pecan and date flourless cake). For more information and reservations call 201-489-9100.
Meet the Easter Bunny and receive a goody bag of candy and toys, plus framed photos, while you feast on a lavish 50-foot-long brunch buffet with dozens of choices at the Park Avenue Club, 184 Park Avenue, Florham Park. 11 AM to 2 PM; $60; children ages six to twelve $22.50; children ages five and under free. For reservations call 973-301-8233; members only.
Restaurant Nicholas, 160 Route 35 South, Middletown, will have a three-course menu ($59), a four-course garden menu ($59), a six-course tasting menu ($79), and a children’s menu ($28) on Easter from 2 to 8 PM. Call 732-345-9977 for reservations.
A traditional Passover Seder with a kosher-style dinner will be held at Restaurant Plan B, 705 Cookman Avenue, Asbury Park, on April 8. 6 PM; $45, with a portion of the proceeds donated to the Jewish Federation of Monmouth County. For reservations call 732-807-4710; BYO.
Restaurant Serenade, 6 Roosevelt Avenue, Chatham, will offer a three-course dinner on Easter Sunday. 2 to 7 PM; $65; children ages ten and under $30. For reservations call 973-701-0303.
T-Bones, Bridgewater Marriott, 700 Commons Way, Bridgewater, will have an Easter champagne brunch from 11 AM to 3 PM; $47; children ages four to twelve $16.95; children ages three and under free. For reservations call 908-595-2006.
The Washington Inn, 801 Washington Avenue, Cape May, will offer Easter brunch and dinner. Brunch is 10 AM to 1:45 PM; $27; children under age twelve $13. The à la carte dinner is 4 to 7 PM. For reservations call 609-884-5697.
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